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Padres hit 3 HRs off Kershaw to sweep Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Boosted by Chase Headley’s return to the lineup, the San Diego Padres put on a surprising power show against one of baseball’s best pitchers.

Clayton Kershaw gave up his first three home runs of the season in a span of three innings and San Diego beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 on Wednesday night to finish a three-game sweep.

Everth Cabrera, Chris Denorfia and Kyle Blanks all connected off Kershaw (2-2), who entered with a 1.16 ERA in three starts. But the 2011 NL Cy Young Award winner left this one trailing 5-1 after throwing 109 pitches in 5 1-3 innings.

After arriving with a 2-10 record, San Diego earned its first sweep at Dodger Stadium of three or more games since July 2006.

“It was big, no doubt,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “It started with the starting pitching. This series was a good sign. Offensively, some guys are getting closer to their marks. I like the fact that we caught the ball. … It was a well-played series by us, with some guys starting to swing the bats.”

It was the first series between the NL West rivals since their wild brawl last week that left Los Angeles pitcher Zack Greinke with a broken collarbone. Padres slugger Carlos Quentin sat out the series while serving an eight-game suspension for charging and tackling Greinke after getting hit by a pitch.

Cabrera had three of San Diego’s 13 hits and scored twice. Blanks added two hits and two RBIs as the Padres sent Los Angeles to its fourth straight defeat.

“We have to move forward,” said manager Don Mattingly, who addressed his club after the game. “The way I do it is through conversation and talks and things like that. We’re 15 games in, we’re 7-8, and that’s not good enough. But also, it’s not like we’re throwing up the white flag yet. We talk about what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable and how do we turn it around.”

Headley was back at third base after missing the first 14 games of the season with a broken left thumb. He went 1 for 4 with a late RBI single and scored a run from his No. 3 spot in the batting order.

The 28-year-old slugger had a breakout season last year, hitting 31 homers with an NL-best 115 RBIs while winning his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. He finished fifth in MVP voting.

“When a bunch of guys are hitting I think the other hitters relax,” Black said. “When you’re not hitting, guys have a tendency to say, ‘I’ve got to get on base, I’ve got to do a little bit more to help our club.’ When the group is hitting, there’s a little bit of pressure off everybody.”

Injured while sliding into second base trying to break up a double play in a March 17 spring training game, Headley was activated from the disabled list before Wednesday’s game.

To clear a roster slot, the Padres placed center fielder Cameron Maybin on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 16, with a sore right wrist.

Kershaw yielded seven hits, walked four and struck out five. He was charged with five runs, three earned.

The left-hander racked up 25 strikeouts with only four walks and 12 hits allowed in 23 1-3 innings over his first three outings.

“You’ve got to be ready to hit,” Black said. “Because if you get behind, you’re in trouble. He has too many weapons to put you away.”

Early on, Kershaw appeared to be on top of his game as he retired his first eight batters. But after opposing pitcher Tyson Ross hit a line drive off the center-field fence, things suddenly unraveled for the Dodgers.

The big inning for the Padres was the fourth, when Cabrera led off with a homer and they scored three times. They had three hits in the inning, but Kershaw also walked three (one intentional) and third baseman Nick Punto dropped a foul popup for an error that helped fuel the rally.

The Dodgers offense, with a struggling Matt Kemp beginning the game on the bench to clear his head, couldn’t get much going against Ross until the fifth, when they loaded the bases with two outs. Black replaced Ross with Brad Brach (1-0), who retired Skip Schumaker on a comebacker.

The Dodgers scored their only run off Ross on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez. Kemp entered in the seventh as pinch hitter, batting for Schumaker with the bases loaded, but struck out. Kemp came up again in the ninth with the bases loaded and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

“We’re not going to sit and feel sorry for ourselves in any way, shape or form,” Mattingly said.

PIRATES 5, CARDINALS 0

PITTSBURGH — A.J. Burnett took a no-hitter into the seventh inning nearly 12 years after throwing the only one of his career.

Burnett (1-2) lost his bid with two outs in the seventh on Carlos Beltran’s double to right-center. That was the lone hit given up by the 36-year-old right-hander in seven dominant innings.

Burnett struck out eight. He got the 2,000th strikeout of his 15-year career when he caught Beltran looking in the second.

Mark Melancon, Tony Watson and Jason Grilli completed the one-hitter.

Burnett’s no-hitter came on May 12, 2001, for the Florida Marlins in San Diego. That game was also notable for his nine walks. Burnett walked none against St. Louis.

Cardinals rookie Shelby Miller (2-1) pitched well despite taking his first loss in four career decisions.

PADRES 7, DODGERS 2

LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw gave up his first three home runs of the season in a span of three innings and the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to finish a three-game sweep.

Everth Cabrera, Chris Denorfia and Kyle Blanks all connected off Kershaw (2-2), who entered with a 1.16 ERA in three starts. But the 2011 NL Cy Young Award winner left this one trailing 5-1 after throwing 109 pitches in 5 1-3 innings.

Boosted by the return of slugger Chase Headley from a broken thumb, the Padres pounded out 13 hits and beat one of baseball’s best pitchers. After arriving with a 2-10 record, San Diego earned its first sweep at Dodger Stadium of three or more games since July 2006.

It was the first series between the NL West rivals since their wild brawl last week in San Diego.

Cabrera had three hits and scored twice as the Padres sent Los Angeles to its fourth straight defeat. Headley was back at third base and went 1 for 4 with a late RBI single.

Brad Brach (1-0) retired Skip Schumaker on a comebacker with the bases loaded in the fifth.

NATIONALS 6, MARLINS 1

MIAMI — Ross Detwiler departed with a lead for the third start in a row and this time the bullpen held on as Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins.

Harper, back in the Nationals’ lineup after missing one game with the flu, hiked his average to .364 with four hits and improved to 9 for 20 against Ricky Nolasco (0-2). Harper hit two solo homers off Nolasco on opening day.

Detwiler (1-0) allowed one run in seven innings, which increased his ERA to 0.90. He left his first two starts with the Nationals ahead 5-1 and 4-1, but both times received no decision.

BREWERS 4, GIANTS 3

MILWAUKEE — Pinch-hitter Blake Lalli lifted a long single in the bottom of the ninth inning that sent the Milwaukee Brewers over the San Francisco Giants.

With the score tied, one out and the outfielders playing in, Lalli stepped to the plate for just the sixth time this season.

Lalli lofted a deep fly ball well over the head of left fielder Gregor Blanco for his first hit of 2013. Milwaukee extended its longest winning streak this year to three.

Brewers starter Kyle Lohse did not allow a hit through the first five innings as Milwaukee built a 3-0 lead.

CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce hit a pair of bases-loaded singles that sent the Cincinnati Reds to a couple of wins over Philadelphia.

First, the Reds finished their game suspended overnight by rain. Several hundred fans were in the stands to see Phillippe Aumont (1-2) pick the game up in the bottom of the ninth and give up Bruce’s bases-loaded single only four batters later.

Aroldis Chapman (2-0) got the win without even warming up on Wednesday — he’d retired the last three batters before the rain came the previous night.

Then, the Reds completed their first series sweep of the Phillies since 1996.

Bruce hit a bases-loaded single that highlighted a five-run rally in the second inning off left-hander John Lannan (0-1).

Reds starter Mike Leake (1-2) drove in a run with his first career triple during the big inning.

The Braves were seeking their first 13-1 start since 1994. But the Atlanta hitters — who homered five times off the Royals on Tuesday — were shut down.

Davis (2-0) gave up five hits, didn’t walk anyone and struck out seven. Greg Holland worked a scoreless ninth for his third save.

Mike Minor (2-1) allowed five hits, including Francoeur’s single in the fourth, and in six innings. The left-hander’s ERA over three starts is 0.95.

Red Sox extend streak to five

CLEVELAND — Converted closer Alfredo Aceves coasted through five innings, Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava drove in two runs apiece and the Red Sox, bonded by the tragedy in Boston, struck quickly against Justin Masterson and beat the Cleveland Indians for their fifth straight win.

Aceves (1-0), who began the season in Boston’s bullpen, took a shutout into the sixth before giving up three runs. Andrew Bailey, filling for injured closer Joel Hanrahan, worked the ninth for his first save.

Napoli had an RBI single in the first when the Red Sox scored three off Masterson (3-1), who has already beaten two Cy Young Award winners this season and came in without allowing a run in 19 straight innings.

Nick Swisher and Jason Giambi homered for the Indians, who dropped their third in a row.

The Red Sox hung a gray “617 Boston Strong” jersey in their dugout, just as they did for Tuesday’s emotional series opener — one day after the deadly marathon bombings back home. The jersey has become a symbol of unity for the club, which will be back at Fenway Park on Friday to open a 10-game homestand.

Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Carp had three hits apiece as the Red Sox built Aceves a 5-0 lead.

TIGERS 2, MARINERS 1, 14 INNINGS

SEATTLE — Detroit catcher Brayan Pena held onto Prince Fielder’s relay throw and absorbed a collision with Justin Smoak at home plate for the final out, and the Tigers outlasted the Seattle Mariners in 14 innings.

Smoak singled with one out off Joaquin Benoit, and with two outs Dustin Ackley doubled into the right-field corner. Third base coach Jeff Datz didn’t hesitate in waiving Smoak around with the potential tying run.

Torii Hunter started the relay from the outfield, and Fielder’s throw was up the third base line a bit. Pena, however, caught it in plenty of time and held onto the ball as Smoak crashed into him.

Detroit took the lead in the top of the 14th when Pena’s bases-loaded groundout scored pinch-runner Don Kelly. The conclusion came long after starters Felix Hernandez and Max Scherzer pitched gems in a game that included a whopping 40 strikeouts.

Drew Smyly (1-0) worked one inning for the win. Benoit earned his first save of the season.

According to the Mariners, it was the second time in major league history that both teams had more than 18 strikeouts. The only other time was June 16, 2001, when the Giants and Padres both struck out 20 times in a 15-inning game.

Detroit batters tied the team record for most strikeouts in a game with 21 — five by Fielder, who was hitless in six at-bats.

Charlie Furbush (0-1) took the loss.

RAYS 6, ORIOLES 2

BALTIMORE — Kelly Johnson and Shelley Duncan homered, James Loney had three RBIs and Tampa Bay beat Baltimore to snap a four-game skid.

Matt Moore (3-0) gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. Although his streak of scoreless starts ended at two, the left-hander has accounted for three of the Rays’ five wins this season.

The six runs were the most the Rays scored in a game since a 6-0 win over Cleveland on April 6. Following that victory, Tampa Bay lost seven of eight before turning it around against the Orioles.

After going 1 for 34 with runners in scoring position in their previous five games, the Rays went 4 for 11 in those situations, including a two-run double in the fourth by Loney that put Tampa Bay ahead for good.

Loney went 3 for 3 to raise his batting average from .167 to .242.

Adam Jones homered for the Orioles, who had five hits.

Chris Tillman (0-1) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings to fall to 1-4 against the Rays.

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon missed a portion of his team’s first win in a week. He was ejected in the fifth inning by umpire Brian Knight, who called Johnson out on a stolen base attempt.

ATHLETICS 7, ASTROS 5

OAKLAND, Calif. — Bartolo Colon pitched six crisp innings, Josh Reddick doubled in two runs during a six-run first and Oakland defeated Houston to complete another three-game sweep.

The Athletics swept a three-game series at Houston during the first week of the season.

Seth Smith had three hits for the A’s, who improved to an AL-best 12-4. They sent 11 batters to the plate and chased Bud Norris (2-2) in the first inning, then won behind Colon (2-0) and three relievers.

Jose Altuve had three hits and Carlos Pena homered for the second straight day for Houston. Pinch-hitter Rick Ankiel also homered for the Astros.

Colon beat Houston for the second time this season. He has not walked a batter in 19 innings this year.

Grant Balfour got Altuve to ground into a game-ending double play for his third save.

Alex Rios also homered against his former team to back Quintana (1-0), who held the Blue Jays to five hits with two walks while striking out seven in his third start of the season.

J.A. Happ (2-1) allowed six hits, including two homers, and five runs in 5 2-3 innings to end a string of four consecutive quality starts by the Blue Jays. Jose Bautista missed his third straight game with a sore back.

INTERLEAGUE

YANKEES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 3

NEW YORK — Pinch-hitter Travis Hafner connected for a tiebreaking homer with two outs in the eighth inning to lead CC Sabathia and the Yankees past Arizona.

Brett Gardner had a tying, two-run single in the seventh for New York. Stymied by Wade Miley for six innings, the Yankees broke through and won for the seventh time in eight games.

Sabathia (3-1) gave up a two-run homer to Paul Goldschmidt in the first, then settled down for his third straight win after struggling on opening day. It was his second consecutive outing of eight innings.

Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Injured for most of last season, Rivera posted his first back-to-back saves since April 10-11, 2012.

Hafner sent the first pitch he saw from reliever David Hernandez (0-1) into the right-center stands for his fourth home run with his new team.

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